Has it been a month already?

Wow, I said I would be busy, but this has been ridiculous! I haven't even shared pictures with you from our trip...

April has been the strangest month. Here's a quick run down.

1. Finished at Tri-Tech. I really loved that place. I miss it.
2. Joel got bronchitis - missed a week of school
3. Was told our school would be closing down and we would all be placed somewhere else in the district. (Our district is losing $4-5 million in State funding)
4. School Board voiced their concern about the alternative program closing and we were taken back off the chopping block. Jobs saved (for now).
5. My brother (36 years-old) proposed to his girlfriend of 4 years! They set a July 3, 2010 date. I can't believe he's getting MARRIED. I thought he would be single forever!
6. Jessa broke her nose (Jessa's nose vs. Jacob's knee - guess who lost?)
7. Fell at school (ie. work), hurt my back and have spent the last week down.
8. I have read three wonderful books while resting. I can't wait to post about them later. God has some good author's in his corner.
9. Joel and his friend broke our dining room window playing elephant ball in the backyard. Glad he is feeling better!

I told you it has been strange! Ok, 15 minutes in the chair is all I can take. Back to the couch and my icepack.

Feliz de Cinco de Mayo! (Happy May 5th).

We are home...

We got home from our wonderful amazing trip at 6pm. We are exhausted, every is in bed, but me. Jacob and Jessa both aren't feeling so well, but it was totally worth it! I will post pics and comments later in the week. Very busy week ahead for this teacher. I have two weeks left at Tri-Tech and I have a very hands on project planned. Should be great!

So every vacation has one mishap right??? Well ours was realizing in the Portland Airport on the way to Cali that I LEFT the Southern California City Passes (these would be our 3 days at Disneyland, day at Sea World, day at Wildlife Park) on my desk in Richland!!! Totally spaced it! Didn't even give it one second of thought on Friday when I was getting everything in the car.

Thankfully I have the most amazing friend, Michelle, who came to my rescue. She got into my house on Saturday (via getting into my parents' house who were out of town to get my house key) and had them overnighted. But Fedex and UPS couldn't get the tickets there until Tuesday, but good ole United States Postal Service had them waiting for me at the Anaheim Post Office at 11am on Monday. We were scheduled to start using the passes until Monday morning at 9am, so we only missed out on 3 hours of Disneyland. Michelle went above the call of duty on this one! So thank you so much Michelle for your persistence!!!

Ok, I am going to bed. Can't wait to post more later....

Goal #2 in 6 days!

Spring Break is fast approaching. I am so excited! My family is going to Disneyland! We are going to be gone for the entire break. That's right, we live at 2pm on Friday to drive to Portland and catch a 8pm flight. This is the big southern California trip. Ronald Reagan library (Kevin's #1 choice), 3 days at Disneyland, a day at Legoland, Seaworld and San Diego Wildlife Adventure. We don't get back into Portland until 2pm on Sunday the 5th and then we drive home. Did I mention how excited I am???

As much as I am excited about the vacation, I am thrilled as to its meaning. You see when I filed for divorce back in September of 2006 I gave myself three goals.

1. Buy a minivan (Did this in May 2007)

2. Take the kids to Disneyland

3. Buy a house ( On track for August 2010)

The marriage to Kevin wasn't even one of the goals, but God threw that special one in too! I am so thankful that God has answered my desires to date. These were truly desires of my heart. I am humbled that He has given me the ability to financially make all this happen in less than three years. Did I mention I took a $20,000 paycut to become a teacher and spend more time with my kids last year? 2009 has been a difficult one for me, but I feel as though the fog has lifted (I am so glad it is SPRING). The positive attitude is returning. There are some tough decisions ahead, but for now we are off to make dreams come true! Thank you Jesus...

MySpace Countdown Clocks

A Good Day...

Even though Kevin has been a christian for a very long time, he had never been baptized until yesterday! It was a precious moment for me. Getting in front of a group of people is a very hard thing for him.

I am just crazy in-love with that man (that would be Kevin, not Dustin)!

Jessa Update #4

I took Jessa to what would be her new private school on Thursday. They always do some testing of new students to see where they are at. While she was doing that, I got to have a wonderful conversation with the new principal. I was feeling really good about this new school...

Then the teacher comes back and tells me, "There is no way that Jessa can be in the 4th grade here. She will have to go back to 3rd." I was so upset. Jessa has struggled academically for quite sometime and her new school definitely teaches a much higher academic standard than public school, but after everything that Jessa has been going through the idea of making her a 3rd grader tomorrow was more than I could take.

But, God is in control and I am a witness to that the last 4 days. I talked to Kevin about it, my parents, Jessa's other grandma, Jessa's dad, and many friends. Everyone's reaction to it has been, "Well if that is what is best for Jessa then do it." And my response has been, "Well you aren't the ones who have to make the decision! You aren't the ones who have to tell her this and listen to her and wipe her tears! I am!" Me, me, me.

So her dad and I sat her down Friday night and told her. We told her that this was what was best for her and that we believed it with all our hearts. We told her this was not her fault, that she has done nothing wrong. We talked how she will be getting a different kind of education than she is now and that she will get to go to chapel everyweek and that she will meet girls that want to be her friend and all they care about is playing at recess and not who likes who and whether she will be friends with her today and not tomorrow. Jessa cried (somehow I didn't), she said, "I don't want to be a 3rd grader". We said, "We know, but it's what we need to do right now." And she said, "OK"

Then we came home and she told her biggest brother Jacob what was going on. He told her, "I know you must be upset, but Jessa I struggled all through grade school and you won't have to anymore." Then I gave Jacob one of the long division problems that they are doing in the 4th grade there. It was 26/5200. Jacob said, "Mom, I just learned how to do this last year in honor's 6th grade math!" And I could see Jessa's brain thinkin', "You mean I am going to be smarter than my biggest brother in like 2 or 3 years?! Cool!"

So Monday morning, Jessa will start in the 3rd grade at her new school. We told her she didn't have to tell anyone that she has been in the 4th grade. Nobody needed to know. But, she told one of her friends from her old school yesterday and said, "And next year when I am in the 4th grade again, I will get to learn long division!"

As for, Mom (that would be me) I have used a whole box of Costco sized kleenex this weekend. But, God has taught me a very valuable lesson. My pride has nothing to do with what is best for my children. I am not sure why I seem to be struggling with this more than anyone else, but I definitely see God's firm hand on me. He is holding me up right now, but at the same time guiding me to be a stronger advocate for my children. And I like the idea of my baby girl being under my wing an extra year before she goes face the world.

Thanks for reading this long post. I have really felt your prayers guys. I can't tell you how much that has meant to me...